Significant adverse interactions of drugs in dentistry.

An attempt has been made to discuss the adverse responses that can occur when two or more drugs are administered to the same patient. Several drugs used in dental practice or drug classes were given in tabular form as they might interact with each other or with drugs the patient might already be taking. Only those combinations of drug that are believed to produce significant adverse interactions were included. However, our knowledge of interactions of drugs is incomplete and potentially significant interactions may have been overlooked. Furthermore, new drugs with another set of actions are being marketed each year, making an attempt to simply memorize interactions a frustrating experience. Ultimately, it is the practitioners familiarity with current clinical literature and the understanding of drug actions and mechanisms by which drugs can interact that will do the most for preventing iatrogenic responses associated with multiple drug usage.